So many of our issues are self-inflicted though. I think people would be surprised how quick a new manager/coaching team could organise this squad and manage games better.
Hopefully mate. I don't think we're that far off being a good side anyway. As others have said, might even be as simple as getting Carrick some coaching help for the defensive side of things.
I'd normally say this is exactly the kind of game we'll go and win. But this slump feels worse than other slumps we've been in.
It's hard to see us conceding less than two goals in any game.
If we did change him, my only wish would be that it's someone who wants play a similar style of front foot football. Someone who'd be excited to get hold of our squad rather than rip it up and start again.
Otherwise we're starting from scratch with the squad building. There has to be some sort of continuity.
Those expanding Virgin Media ads are back on mobile... Makes it really slow and jerky to scroll through posts and when you try to press the tiny x to cancel the ad, it usually clicks you through to another page. If you do cancel it, it comes back after a few seconds anyway.
I understand the forum needs to have ads, but these specific ones make it pretty much unusable on mobile for me. Not sure if anything can be done, just thought I'd share a bit of feedback.
Same, we've seen him do well there before and I really think we need a different shape off the ball. At the moment we put enormous pressure onto isolated full backs who can't really defend.
Not saying that 3-4-3 is perfect but shows there's options Carrick could try if he's willing to. If we line up business as usual v Sheff Utd, I don't know if I'll put myself through watching it.
I'd be really interested to see a fresh take on the squad and how to use it. Even just a change in mindset can help. Look at Everton... Utterly hopeless, then three wins on the bounce with a new manager.
Apparently Iling Jr can play wing back, can definitely see that from his cameo - strong and not afraid to tackle. Was thinking the below might make us a bit more solid. Can swap in Nacho, Azaz, Whittaker across the front three as needed.
Travers
Dijk - Fry - VDB
Iling Jr - Hackney - Morris - Giles
Doak - Conway - Zorg
That's sad... Definitely had more to give at this level. Hope he gets work in TV, makes you realise what a short career football can be. Especially if you never make it onto the Premier League gravy train.
Hmm. 'Laid back' does seem to sum up his career in recent years.
Maybe I'm being unfair after a crap day to be a Boro fan, but I'm not feeling good about this transfer. I think he was bottom of the list.
There's a big gap between Pulis and Carrick though, with the right balance somewhere in the middle. We could improve our defensive structure without resorting to five centre halves.
It's not like we'd be sacrificing that much in attack anyway. We fill our boots against crap sides but we've only scored four more than Sunderland who are supposedly a more defensive side.
As things stand, we often need three goals to get a point.
The only thing keeping us in touch is the equally crap form of teams around us. Only takes one side to get their act together (Coventry perhaps) and we'll be left in the dust.
The top four look a level above the rest anyway. Like I said in the other thread, we have the same points gap to Pompey in 20th as we do to Sunderland in 4th.
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